The Congress of the People (COPE) deputy president Willie Madisha says the lives of poor black South Africans will not improve under the current government.
Madisha was campaigning at Blood River, outside Seshego in Limpopo, on Saturday, where he interacted with several residents.
A final push ahead of elections next week. Lack of RDP houses and potable water among the issues raised; and appalling living conditions for some families.
“What we are looking at is not actually just to do well, but to make sure that we help the people of our country. What we have seen here in Blood River is the microcosm really of the very serious problems that are there in South Africa. People here don’t have any place to sleep, don’t have anything to eat. They don’t have any jobs altogether. These are very serious problems and COPE is there to make sure that they survive.”
Twenty nine-year-old Linah Mashilo who lives with seven other people in a storm-damaged two-roomed house was among those that interacted with Madisha.
29-year old Linah Mashilo of Blood River outside Polokwane, tells COPE’s Willie Madisha, that her mother died waiting for an RDP house over 10 years ago. Linah, her sister and their 6 kids live in this house which was damaged by storms decades ago. #SAelections2019 #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/4pRhIgApOL
— Pimani Baloyi (@PimaniBaloyi) May 4, 2019
COPE Deputy President, Willie Madisha, takes his party’s election campaign to Seshego zone 3 outside Polokwane #SAelections2019 #sadecides #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/PeLJp6P4S1
— Pimani Baloyi (@PimaniBaloyi) May 4, 2019
Eight members of the Mashilo family share a dilapidated house. Promises of a better shelter were made years ago but in vain.
Linah Mashilo says her mother passed on recently and people came making all sorts of promises to build them RDP houses, but they still do not have a house.
“These are my children together with my aunt’s children. Eight of us live in this house. They have promised us a house, my mother died while waiting for that house. We depend on the children’s social grants.”
Madisha says COPE is the only hope. COPE will conclude their campaign in Pretoria on Sunday.
